Tube



Dec. 3, 1.935.

R. H, STONE.

TUBE

Filed May 7, 1929 FIG. 4

4 m f a f I w FIG.2

f5 lNvENToR ATTORNEY rammenta a, 193s UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE TUBE IBM,

Application May 7, 1929, Serial N0. 361,039

4 Claims.

T'his invention relates to flexible corrugated seamed tubing in which substantially all of the flexibility is imparted by flexure of the sides of the corrugations. More particularly it relates 5 to tubing formed of more than one helically disposed strip. Such strips may not have similar cross-sectional configuration.

It is' an object of this invention to improve the construction and to render more durable tubes of this character.

Another object is to arrange this type of ilexible tube so that it may be more readily made fluid tight by sealing the adjacent` seams.

A still further object is to arrange a tube with a groove or other depression along the seam in which may be located a wearing member which is particularly useful for preventing direct wear on the tube material from movement between the tube and a compression resisting covering outside said tube. Particularly where braided coverings are used directly in contact with iiexible metal tubes, destructive wearing often takes place. With an independent wearing member this can be prevented and the wearing member be easily replaced after considerable use.

A further object is to produce a flexible metallic tube having `a seam in which packing or sealing material may be introduced after the tube has been formed whereby different packings and sealings may be used, dependent upon the use to which the tube is put without necessitating complete construction of the tube for a particular purpose.

A still further object is to arrange a-seamed #5^ iiexible metallic tubing composed of two or more helicallv disposed strips in which one of the strips may be composed of thick material for rigidly securing the seam while another strip may be composed of thinner material but with greater flexibility.

Further and more definite objects will appear from the following specifications, claims and drawing in which:

Fig. 1` shows a tube with portions cut away to indicate-a section, embodying my invention;

Figs. 2 to 'I inclusive show other modified sections useable according to this idea; and

Fig. 8 shows a further section indicating how my tube may be utilized in connection with a strain resistant covering.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the tube shown in Fig. l is composed of strips I and 2 secured together by means of seams 5 and i, leaving a space therebetween indicated at 1,

As shown, strip I is bent outwardly in relation to (Cl. 13B-51) the strip 2 and strip 2 is bent inwardly at the point of the seam. By this arrangement a very eective and compact tubing can-be constructed. In order to more securely hold the parts together and aid in their tightness a packing or 5 binding compound such as asbestos, shellac or soldering may be applied in the channel 1 as shown at 9, the term soldering including soft and hard soldering (the latter being often referred to as brazing) and welding. This may be applied 10 in a liquid form and allowed to harden, the packing 9 more particularly designating shellac such as would be utilized in connection with a tube intended to conduct gasolene and like liquids.

The packing II may be composed of mineral 15 or vegetable fibre with or without binding compounds as for instance a steam hose might be packed with asbestos fibre and a binding compound of White lead. I

For heavy service and high pressure the joint 20 shown in Fig. 4 could be reinforced with solder or brazing material I4 which not only makes a tight joint but also unites the edges of the flexible strip and locking strip rigidly in such a manner that seams will not break with the flexing or 25 bending of the hose. It is thus apparent that with this type of tube construction that the joints may be made tight either in the process of manufacture or after the tube is manufactured. 'Ihe tube may be manufactured without packing or 30 equivalent material, and placed in stock to be withdrawn and properly packed for the particular kind of service desired without the expense of different supplies of tubing for each vparticular type of service. 35

Where greater flexibility is desired the pitch of the hose could be materially decreased by single lock seams as shown in Fig. 5. Here the outer strips I9 and 20 could be connected together with the inner strip I8 secured in the seams I6 40 and I'I. It may be an advantage to make the locking strip I8 of thicker metal for the single lock seam shown in Fig. 5 in order that the ilexibility may be confined to the outer strip I9 and 20 while the inner or locking strip may be de- 45 pended upon to secure rigidly the joint. Packing, soldering or like material could be applied in the opening between the two seams I6 and I1.

A further variation could be utilized as shown in connection with Fig. 6 where the inner strip 50 22 is slightly beveled inwardly as at 23 providing a recess 24 in which packing or other material 25 could be applied more eiectively. Packing in this type might be omitted and the rib 23 utilized to add flexibility to the tubing. If packing is ap- 55 plied it is obvious that it will be more securely anchored than would be possible with other modiiications. In this construction the inner locking strip 22 might be constructed of lighter materials of hose shown in Fig. 2 after the joint is soldered or properly packed, a. wire can be wound in the spiral groove as shownC in Flg.k8 and the wear will be taken on the x wire instead of the hose. The wire 28` being positioned between the seams 29 and 30 they will be securely maintained in the recess therebetween so that no friction occurs at that point, but any movement which takes place will occur between the braided covering 3| and the wire 28. If a great amount of wear takes place so that the braided covering 3| no longer suiliciently reenforces the tubing, a new wire 28 may be provided without affecting the operation of the tube and at a minimum of exy pense.V The braided covering 3l is usually composed of interwoven wire and applied directly on the tubing in order to prevent internal expansion of the contents of the tube. Such a covering also prevents rotation of the ends of the tube one with respect to the other in such a -way as to cause slipping in the joints. In order to maintain the contents of the tube invariably it is necessary to apply the braid directly to the surface of the tube so that no compressible material will come therebetween. By this construction considerable wear is removed from the surface and applied to a part which may be readily replaced.

It is thus apparent that a exible tube has 'been disclosed in which a separate binding strip may be associated with the edges of adjacent convolutions' of the main or outer strip. Both strips are of a trough-shaped cross-section of similar coniiguration on either side of the trough. The two strips thus joined together are arranged with a depression therebetween in which packing material or other binding substance might be applied after the tube is manufactured so 'that diierent portions of the same tube length might be utilized for different services without requiring that the tubes be separately mechanically constructed. By this arrangement a packing groove is provided between alternately folded portions or seams, which maintain the two strips in position, one with relation to the other, and the outer edges oi each convolution has reversely folded portions providing this opening. By illling this opening with packing material not only are the seams rendered more nearly iiuid tight but also they are maintained more nearly mechanically rigid. The two strips that compose the tubing each have a trough formation and one part may be of greater depth than the other or if desired may both have the same depth. In any event' one of the strips is constructed of blank material which is narrower than the other strip, inasmuch as one strip is outside the other and therefore requires a wider strip. The use of the wearing member 28 may not only resist 'the enectofwrofabraidedcoveringbutabomay beusedtomaintainthejointsorseamsand 3B moresecurelyinplaceasweilalprerentdlsplacement from any packing material which may line between these seams. 5

Itis not intended to be ooniined to the exact construction but considerable variation and modlncation is intended to be included without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention herein set `forth. I desire to be limited 10 onlytothe extentindicatedlnthetoilowm claims.

What I claim is:

l. A flexible tube formed of a helically strip having a longitudinal fold or groove, the 15 bottom of said groove being at the innermost wall o1' the completed tube, and a separate strip helically disposed between the adjacent edges ot oonvolutions of said grooved strip and secured thereto by intertolding into iixed relation the edges of zo said separate strip with the outer edges of the said grooved strip; the sides of the groove in said grooved strip and the separate strip intertolded therewith forming an outwardly extending corrugation providing flexibility by bending in the corrugation, the outer edges of contiguous sid oi adjacent convolutions of said grooved strip being spaced apart and said separate strip being located inwardly of the outermost edges o! said grooved strip whereby a depressed channel or groove is formed in the outermost wall of'the corrugation of the completed tube, a covering disposed about the tube and extending across spaces between corrugations and a separate wearing member lodged in' the said depressed ehannel in the outermost wall of the corrugation.

2. A nexible tube formed of a helically disposed strip having a longitudinal fold or groove, the bottom of said groove being at the innermost wall of the completed tube, and a separate strip heli- 40 cally disposed between the adjacent edges of convolutions of said grooved strip and secured thereto by interfolding into' flxed relation the edges of said separate strip with the outer edges of the said grooved strip, the sides of the groove i5 in said grooved strip and the separate strip interfolded therewith forming an outwardly extending corrugation providing flexibility by bending in the corrugation, the outer edges oi' contiguous sides of adjacent convolutions of said grooved 50 strip being spaced apart and said separate strip being located inwardly o! the outermost edges of said grooved strip whereby a depressed channel or groove is formed in the outermost wall of the corrugation of the completed tube, the inter- 55 folded edges of said separate strip being bent outwardly of the tube and then toward each other longitudinally of the tube and the interiolded adjacent edges of the first mentioned strip being bent toward each other longitudinally of the 60 strip then inwardly of the tube and then away from each other longitudinally of the tube.

3. A exible tube formed of a helically disposed strip having a longitudinal fold or groove, the bottom of said groove being at the innermost 65 wall of the completed tube, and a separate strip helically disposed between the adjacent edges of convolutions of said grooved strip and secured thereto by interfolding into ilxed relation the edges of said separate strip with the outer edges 70 of said grooved strip, the sides of the groove in said grooved strip and the separate strip interfolded therewith forming an outwardly extending corrugation providing flexibility by bending in the corrugation, the outer edges oi' contiguous 75 sides of adjacent convolutions of said grooved strip being spaced apart and said separate strip being located inwardly of the outermost edges of said grooved strip whereby a depressed channel or groove is formed in the outermost wall of the corrugation of the completed tube, the thickness of said separate strip at the bottom of the channel being less than the depth of the channel outside of said separate strip and between the interfolded joints.

4. A flexible tube formed of a helically disposed strip having a longitudinal fold or groove, the bottom of said groove being at the innermost wall of the completed tube, and a separate strip helically disposed between the adjacent edges of convolutions of said grooved strip and secured thereto by interfolding into xed relation the edges of said separate strip with the outer edges of the said grooved strip, the sides of the groove in said grooved strip and the separate strip interfolded therewith forming an outwardly extending corrugation providing flexibility by bending in the corrugation, the outer edges of contiguous sides of adjacent convolutions of said grooved strip being spaced apart and said separate strip being located inwardly of the outermost edges of said grooved strip whereby a depressed channel or groove is formed in the outermost wall of the corrugation of the completed tube, the thickness i of said separate strip at the bottom of the channel being less than the depth of the channel outside of said separate strip and between the interfolded joints, the said strips being soldered together in said channel.

R. HARRY STONE. 

